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THE    WATER-GATES,    LENDAL    BRIDGE 


YORK 


Described   by  George   Benson 
Pictured   by  E.  W.  Haslehust 


r^Bhr^uj^ 


^'H^ 


DANA    ESTES    (Si   CO. 
BOSTON 


>>•  .•,  « . 


peautiful  €nglanti 

Volumes 

Ready 

Oxford 

The  Heart  of  Wessex 

The  English  Lakes 

The  Peak  District 

Canterbury 

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Shakespeare-Land 

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The  Thames 

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Chester  and  the  Dee 

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York 

Uniform  wi 

//;  this  Series 

peautiful 

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LEINSTER 

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CONNAUGHT 

:   .  :  :  •  •  -: 


.  ... . 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS 


Page 

The  Water-Gates,  Lendal  Bridge    ....  Frontispiece 

Micklegate  Bar 8 

Bootham  Bar 12 

Fishergate  Postern  from  the  Walls 16 

The  Shambles 20 

Norman  Porch,  St.  Lawrence's  Tower 24 

York  Minster 32 

York  from  the  City  Walls 36 

College  Street,  St.  William's  College  and  Chapter  House  44 

Ruins  of  St.  Mary's  Abbey 52 

•J      York  from  the  Ouse 56 

^    Entrance  to  the  Banqueting  Hall,  King's  Manor         .        .  60 

Plan  of  York  Cathedral 46 


32'71  ^1 5 


THE  CITY 


As  each  town  has  its  characteristic  features  and 
peculiar  advantages,  we  may  ask  what  it  is  that 
constitutes  the  special  attraction  exerted  by  the  city 
of  York,  not  only  upon  those,  who  with  more  or  less 
of  appreciation  dwell  within  its  limits  but  upon  its 
visitors.  It  would  seem  that  if  there  is  one  thing 
which  can  be  done  at  York  better  almost  than  any- 
where else  in  the  kingdom,  that  thing  is  the  realisation 
of  history.     It  is  in  this,  above  all,  that  the  charm  lies. 

A  walled-in  city  offers  great  attractions  to  the 
student  of  history,  who  is  desirous  of  understand- 
ing mediaeval  ways  and  methods,  for  although  docu- 
ments and  quaint  pictures  may  give  a  fair  idea,  it 
is  the  walls,   gates,   churches,   and  houses  that   lend 


6  YORK 

the  necessary  vividness  and  reality.  Other  once- 
fortified  cities  have  destroyed  their  walls  as  being 
useless,  and  those  at  York  have  from  time  to  time 
barely  escaped  destruction. 

The  stranger,  as  he  walks  out  of  the  railway 
station,  is  agreeably  surprised  to  find  these  ancient 
fortifications  immediately  presented  to  his  gaze.  This 
surprise  view  enchants  the  lover  of  the  picturesque,  he 
is  captivated  by  the  beauty  of  the  scene;  and  York 
adds  another  to  her  numerous  admirers.  The  creamy- 
grey  embattled  walls,  set  on  a  grassy  mound,  com- 
mand attention.  The  imagination  is  aroused,  the 
spectator  pictures  the  moat  filled  with  water  and 
mentally  recalls  the  archers,  clad  in  armour  and  leather 
jerkins,  passing  behind  the  parapet  of  the  elevated 
walls. 

Within  the  walls,  and  well  seen  from  the  rampart 
walk,  are  red -tiled  roofs  intermingled  with  more 
modern  slated  buildings.  Amidst  these  rise  promi- 
nently, here  and  there,  the  spires  and  towers  of  the 
churches,  notably  the  broad  pre-Conquest  tower  of  St. 
Mary,  Bishophill  Junior;  the  tower  of  St.  Michael's, 
Ousegate,  from  which  the  Curfew  is  rung  nightly, 
and  the  graceful  octagonal  tower  of  All  Saints,  Pave- 
ment, which,  in  the  days  when  York  was  surrounded 
by  forests,  held  a  lamp  to  direct  pilgrims  through 
the  pathways  to  the  city. 


THE   CITY  7 

York  is  a  city  of  churches.  In  the  mediaeval 
days  there  were  forty-one  parish  churches,  of  which 
thirty  were  within  the  walls  and  eleven  without. 
There  were  also  seventeen  chapels,  sixteen  hospitals, 
and  nine  monasteries.  Twenty-two  of  the  ancient 
churches  exist. 

We  may  well  imagine  that  the  Castle  Keep,  known 
as  Clifford's  Tower,  still  keeps  watch  and  ward  over 
the  city:  opposite  stands  the  mound  of  the  other 
castle  —  the  old  Baile  —  which  the  Conqueror  built 
in  order  to  terrify  the  men  of  York.  The  triple- 
towered  minster  of  St.  Peter  rises  high  above  all 
else,  and  is  best  seen  from  the  stretch  of  walls 
from  Bootham  to  Monk  Bar.  The  walk  along  the 
walls  is  one  of  the  great  attractions  of  York. 

The  old  entrance  to  York  from  the  south  was 
Micklegate  Bar.  It  has  suffered  much  mutilation, 
for  formerly  it  had  a  fore-court  or  barbican,  which 
was  removed  in  spite  of  protests.  Sir  Walter  Scott, 
it  is  said,  declared  he  would  gladly  walk  from  Edin- 
burgh to  York,  if  that  would  induce  the  Corporation 
to  preserve  the  barbican.  Under  the  Bar  arch  most 
of  the  English  sovereigns  and  many  a  noble  pro- 
cession have  passed.  Formerly,  the  archbishops  made 
their  progresses  barefooted  through  it  from  St.  James' 
Chapel,  the  Mount,  on  their  way  to  be  installed  in 
the    Minster.      The   clergy   and   religious   bodies   led 


8  YORK 

the  way,  followed  by  mitred  bishops,  abbots,  the 
nobility,  and  civic  authorities;  whilst  torch-,  censer-, 
banner-,  and  cross-bearers  preceded  the  prelate,  over 
whose  head  was  held  a  canopy.  The  Bar  was  re- 
built during  the  reign  of  Edward  III,  the  Norman 
arch  being  incorporated  in  the  new  structure.  The 
side  piers  rise  into  circular  turrets,  and  the  whole  is 
surmounted  by  an  embattled  parapet  with  a  stone 
warrior  over  the  centre  of  the  Bar  and  over  each 
turret.  The  Bar  is  adorned  with  shields  which  bear 
the  arms  of  the  King  and  of  the  City  of  York. 
Edward  III,  in  the  year  1338,  claimed  the  crown 
of  France  and  quartered  the  French  lilies  with  the 
Plantagenet  lions  of  England.  The  shield  of  York 
is  covered  with  silver,  and  bears  a  red  cross  on 
which  are  displayed  five  golden  lions  alert  and  walk- 
ing. The  city  was  Edward's  base  for  conducting  the 
war  with  Scotland.  At  this  period  the  King  and 
Queen  were  frequently  in  York,  where  from  1328-37 
Parliament  met  seven  times. 

Whilst  King  Edward  III  and  the  Black  Prince 
were  engaged  in  the  war  with  France,  the  Scots 
took  advantage  of  their  absence  and  invaded  Eng- 
land. The  martial  Archbishop  Zouche  collected  an 
army  and  marched  northwards.  He  met  and  de- 
feated the  Scots  at  Neville's  Cross  near  Durham. 
The   captured    Scottish    King   was   brought   to   York 


I-*^M•»».CMu»r 


MICKLEGATE   BAR 


THE   CITY  9 

and    passed    through    Micklegate    Bar    on    his    way 
southwards. 

York  became  a  royal  duchy  in  1385  when  Richard 
II  created  his  uncle,  Edmund  Langley,  Duke  of  York. 
Shortly  afterwards  Henry  of  Lancaster  (Henry  IV) 
seized  the  throne,  deposed  Richard  II,  and  imprisoned 
him  in  Pontefract  Castle,  where  Richard  was  after- 
wards murdered.  Plots  were  hatched  against  Henry, 
for  example  in  1403  the  Percies  rebelled  but  were 
defeated  at  Shrewsbury.  Hotspur  was  slain,  and 
his  head  sent  to  York  and  placed  on  Micklegate 
Bar.  The  Earl  of  Northumberland  was  summoned 
to  meet  Henry  IV  at  York,  and  as  he  came  in  sight 
of  the  Bar  underwent  the  terrible  ordeal  of  seeing 
his  son's  head  which  had  been  exposed  thereon. 
The  Earl  was  arrested  but  was  subsequently  par- 
doned. Hotspur's  widow  besought  the  king  for  the 
head  and  body  of  her  husband.  The  king  granted 
her  request,  and  issued  a  writ  as  follows: — 

"The  King  to  the  mayor  and  sheriffs  of  the  City  of  York, 
greeting.  Whereas,  of  our  special  grace,  we  have  granted  to  our 
cousin  Elizabeth,  who  was  the  wife  of  Henry  de  Percy,  chevalier, 
the  head  and  quarters  of  the  same  Henry  to  be  buried,  we  com- 
mand you  that  the  head  aforesaid  you  deliver  to  the  same 
Elizabeth  to  be  buried  according  to  our  grant  aforesaid.  Witness 
the  King  at  Cirencester  the  third  day  of  November." 

The  bereaved  lady  collected  the  remains  from  Shrews- 


10  YORK 

bury,  London,  Chester,  Newcastle,  and  York  and  had 
them  interred  in  York  Minster. 

Lord  Scrope  being  detected  with  others  in  a  plot 
against  Henry  V,  was  arrested  and  condemned.  His 
head  was  placed  on  Micklegate  Bar. 

Richard,  third  Duke  of  York,  was,  through  his 
mother,  the  representative  of  Lionel,  Duke  of  Clarence, 
third  son  of  Edward  HI,  whilst  King  Henry  V  was 
descended  from  the  fourth  son.  In  the  next  reign 
Richard,  Duke  of  York,  claimed  the  throne. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  Wars  of  the  Roses,  the 
citizens  of  York  favoured  the  House  of  Lancaster. 
The  Duke  of  York  was  slain  at  the  battle  of  Wake- 
field in  1460.  His  head,  which  his  enemies  had  in 
mockery  covered  with  a  paper  crown,  was  brought 
to  York  and  stuck  on  a  pole  over  Micklegate  Bar, 
his  face  looking  towards  the  city.  In  the  play  of 
Henry  VI,  Queen  Margaret  exclaims: — 

"Off  with  his  head  and  set  it  on  York  gates; 
So  York  may  overlook  the  town  of  York ". 

The  Earl  of  Salisbury  and  other  notable  prisoners 
were  put  to  death  and  their  heads  fixed  on  poles  near 
that  of  their  leader.  Edward  succeeded  his  father 
as  fourth  Duke  of  York,  and  the  year  following, 
after  the  second  battle  of  St.  Albans,  was,  through 
the    instrumentality    of   the    King-maker,    proclaimed 


THE   CITY  II 

King.  On  Palm  Sunday  as  he  was  coming  to 
York,  he  met  at  Towton  the  forces  of  Henry  VI  and 
Margaret  of  Anjou,  and  defeated  them.  Next  day, 
Edward  IV  set  out  for  York  and,  nearing  the  city, 
he  was  confronted  with  the  ghastly  sight  of  his 
father's  head  on  Micklegate  Bar. 

"And,  after  many  scorns,  many  foul  taunts, 
They  took  his  head,  and  on  the  gates  of  York 
They  set  the  same;  and  where  it  doth  remain, 
The  saddest  spectacle  that  e'er  I  view'd." 

In  his  indignation,  the  King  ordered  the  Earls  of 
Devon  and  Wiltshire  and  three  other  prisoners  to 
immediate  execution,  in  order  that  their  heads  might 
replace  his  father's. 

"  From  off  the  gates  of  York  fetch  down  the  head, 
Your  father's  head,  which  Clifford  placed  there; 
Instead  thereof,  let  this  supply  the  room; 
Measure  for  measure  must  be  answered." 

During  the  great  Civil  War,  the  city  was  besieged 
by  the  Parliamentarian  forces,  and  after  a  blockade 
of  six  weeks  the  Royalists  attempted  two  sorties, 
both  of  which  were  failures.  The  besieged  waited 
patiently  for  relief  from  the  bold  but  erratic  Prince 
Rupert,  on  whose  approach  the  Parliamentarians  re- 
tired towards  Marston  Moor.  The  Royalist  troops 
passed  through  Micklegate  Bar  to  meet  their  foes. 
In   the   ensuing   battle   the    Royal   forces   were   com^ 


12  YORK 

pletely  routed  and  retreated  to  York,  followed  by 
the  Parliamentarians,  who,  however,  were  compelled 
to  stay  outside  Micklegate  Bar.  The  siege  was  re- 
newed. Subsequently,  Sir  Thomas  Glenham,  governor 
of  York,  having  made  good  terms,  surrendered  the 
city  to  Lord  Fairfax,  and  the  Royalist  garrison  passed 
out  through  Micklegate  Bar  with  colours  flying. 

The  last  occasion  on  which  Micklegate  Bar  was 
used  for  the  exhibition  of  rebel  heads  was  during  the 
Jacobite  rising  of  1745.  After  the  battle  of  CuUoden 
there  were  set  on  this  "Traitor's  Gate"  two  heads 
which  remained  for  about  seven  years,  when  the 
heads  were  surreptitiously  removed.  The  culprit  was 
found,  and  at  the  Assizes  sentenced  to  two  years'  im- 
prisonment, ordered  to  pay  five  pounds  and  to  find 
sureties  for  his  good  behaviour  for  two  years. 

Bootham  Bar  protected  the  road  from  the  north, 
and  owing  to  continual  disputes  between  Scotland 
and  England,  it  was  always  strongly  guarded.  Whilst 
King  Stephen  was  engaged  in  the  south  of  England, 
the  Scots  thought  it  a  favourable  opportunity  to  in- 
vade England,  not  taking  into  account  the  generalship 
of  the  Archbishop.  The  prelate  summoned  the  barons 
to  York.  An  army  was  mustered  and  after  passing 
through  Bootham  Bar,  met  and  completely  routed  the 
Scots  at  the  battle  of  the  Standard,  near  Northallerton. 
In   a   raid,    however,    about   two   centuries   later,    the 


(■W-n^Si.(»^w3T. 


BOOTHAM   BAR 


THE   CITY  la 

position  was  reversed:  the  Scots  had  penetrated  into 
England  as  far  as  York,  and  after  gaining  much  booty 
retreated.  The  Archbishop  and  the  Mayor  hastily 
gathered  an  undisciplined  army,  which  passed  through 
the  Bar  and  overtook  the  Scots  at  Myton.  This  time 
the  city  forces  were  completely  routed,  the  Mayor 
and  many  of  the  clergy  who  had  joined  were  slain. 

In  later  times  a  Scot  was  obliged  to  announce  his 
arrival  at  the  Bar  by  using  the  rapper,  and  if  he 
entered  the  city  without  the  permission  of  the  warder 
or  Lord  Mayor,  he  was  liable  to  arrest  and  imprison- 
ment. This  Bar  retains  its  portcullis  or  drop-gate 
in  its  entirety,  the  pointed  ends  of  which  and  the 
wicket  are  seen  within  the  archway.  The  upper 
part  of  the  portcullis  is  to  be  seen  in  the  chamber 
above. 

Monk  Bar,  the  entrance  to  the  city  from  Scar- 
borough, was  built  in  the  reign  of  Edward  III.  It 
is  the  most  complete  and  imposing  of  the  Bars, 
and,  although  shorn  of  its  barbican,  it  remains  the 
finest  example  of  an  English  city  gatehouse.  Over 
the  archway  are  crosslets  to  two  stories  which  are 
enclosed  by  a  pointed  arch  springing  from  the  base 
of  the  turrets  and  supporting  an  embattled  balcony, 
access  to  which  is  obtained  from  either  turret.  The 
balcony  is  adorned  with  the  shield  of  Edward  III, 
and  on  each  spandril   is  a  shield   bearing   the  arms 


14  YORK 

of  the  city  of  York.  The  gateway  is  vaulted  and 
above  are  two  stories  of  vaulted  chambers,  in  the 
upper  of  which  is  the  horizontal  windlass  for  raising 
or  lowering  the  portcullis.  This  is  the  only  bar  that 
retains  its  original  city  front,  which  has,  however, 
been  slightly  modified  by  the  insertion  of  muUioned 
windows.  The  first  floor  over  the  gateway  is  con- 
tained within  an  arched  recess.  A  doorway  leads 
to  a  narrow  platform,  from  which  the  constable  could 
announce  to  the  citizens  important  news  from  the 
northern  world  outside  or  the  herald  could  thence 
read  proclamations.  Through  this  Bar  passed  King 
Charles  I  attended  by  his  knights  and  soldiers  and 
a  great  concourse  to  a  meeting  on  Heworth  Moor. 
The  meeting  was  called  by  the  King,  whose  disputes 
with  his  Parliament  had  reached  a  crisis.  The  King, 
in  his  overconfidence,  rejected  the  petition  presented 
to  him  by  Parliament  and  the  Civil  War  broke  out. 

Walmgate  Bar  is  the  entrance  to  the  city  from 
Hull.  It  retains  its  barbican,  portcullis,  and  its  inner 
oak  gates  including  the  wicket.  Henry  V  with 
Queen  Katherine  passed  through  this  Bar  on  their 
way  to  visit  the  shrine  of  St.  John  of  Beverley,  and 
in  honour  of  the  event  the  arms  of  the  King  are 
emblazoned  on  the  Bar.  Later,  when  Edward  IV 
had  been  temporarily  deposed  in  favour  of  Henry  VI, 
he,    after   a    sojourn   on    the    Continent,    returned    to 


THE   CITY  15 

England  and  landed  at  Ravenspurn,  a  site  now  sub- 
merged, and,  gathering  a  force  around  him,  marched 
to  York,  only  to  find  the  gates  of  Walmgate  Bar 
closed  against  him. 

"What  then  remains,  we  being  thus  arrived 
From  Ravenspurn  haven  before  the  gates  of  York 
But  that  we  enter,  as  into  our  dukedom." 

He  demanded  to  be  admitted  as  Duke  of  York,  and 
on  acknowledging  Henry  of  Lancaster  as  king,  he 
and  his  followers  were  permitted  to  enter.  This 
scene  is  described  in  the  play  of  Henry  VI,  Part  III, 
Act  IV,  Scene  VII.  Henry  VIII  with  Queen  Cathe- 
rine Howard  on  their  visit  to  York  entered  the  city 
by  this  Bar. 

The  city  front  is  in  striking  contrast  to  the  ex- 
terior elevation  and  consists  of  a  timber  and  plaster 
dwelling  built  in  front  of  the  Bar  on  columns,  and 
apparently  erected  in  the  time  of  Queen  Elizabeth. 
The  Bar  suffered  severely  during  the  siege  of  York, 
owing  to  its  proximity  to  Garrow  Hill,  which  was 
secured  by  the  Parliamentarians  during  the  great 
Civil  War  for  their  batteries,  which  kept  up  a  de- 
structive fire  on  the  Bar.  The  barbican  was  repaired 
four  years  after  the  surrender  of  the  city,  for  over 
the  arch  is  a  shield  with  the  city  arms  and  the  date 
1648. 

Fishergate  Bar  was  the  entrance  to  the  city  from 


i6  YORK 

Selby,  and  the  walls  from  this  Bar  to  Fishergate 
Tower  commanded  the  narrow  approach  to  the  castle. 
The  Bar  consists  of  a  round  arch  between  two  wide 
buttresses,  each  with  passage  through.  Adjoining 
the  eastern  buttress  was  a  rectangular  guardroom. 
The  arch  is  of  two  orders,  continued  to  the  ground 
with  rounded  groove  for  a  portcullis.  Over  the  arch 
is  a  panel  containing  the  city  arms  and  an  inscrip- 
tion. An  insurrection  broke  out  in  1489  amongst  the 
peasantry  in  Yorkshire.  At  Topcliffe  the  rebels  mur- 
dered the  Earl  of  Northumberland  and  then  invested 
York,  burning  the  gates  of  Fishergate  Bar.  The 
rebels  were  eventually  defeated  and  one  of  the  leaders 
beheaded  at  York.  Fishergate  Tower  is  provided 
with  a  garderobe,  and  when  built  adjoined  a  wide 
water  area.  Adjoining,  on  the  land  side,  was  a  pos- 
tern under  a  pointed  archway,  which  has  the  jambs 
grooved  evidently  to  accommodate  a  portcullis. 

York  Castle  was  constructed  originally  by  William 
the  Conqueror,  who  built  between  the  two  rivers  a 
mound,  and  set  on  it  a  wooden  watch-tower,  sur- 
rounded with  a  bailey-court.  In  order  to  keep  the 
castle  and  other  ditches  full  of  water,  the  Normans 
placed  a  dam  across  the  River  Foss,  which  was  thus 
considerably  widened,  and  formed  into  an  efficient 
defence  where  it  adjoined  the  city. 

In  the  rising  against  the  Jews  at  the  coronation 

(0411) 


(K^HA-H.t<'Ji'^. 


FISHERGATE   POSTERN   FROM   THE   WALLS 


THE   CITY  17 

of  Richard  I,  Benedict  of  York  was  fatally  injured. 
The  anti-Semitic  feeling  spread  to  York,  the  house 
of  Benedict  was  plundered  and  his  widow  and  family 
murdered.  This  atrocious  act  naturally  alarmed  the 
Jews  in  York,  who  gathered  their  treasures  and 
rushed  to  the  castle  for  safety.  The  governor  had  to 
leave  them  for  a  while,  and  when  he  wished  to  re- 
enter, the  panic-stricken  Jews  refused  him  admission. 
An  assault  on  the  fortress  was  ordered.  The  Jews, 
finding  themselves  unable  to  hold  the  citadel,  set 
fire  to  the  wooden  erections,  and  killed  themselves. 

The  tower  was  rebuilt,  and  in  the  middle  of  the 
thirteenth  century  the  mound  was  enlarged  and  the 
wooden  watch-tower  gave  place  to  the  stone  keep. 
The  castle  area  was  walled  in  during  the  Edwardian 
period,  the  principal  entrance  with  its  flanking  towers 
— now  removed — faced  Castle  Mills  Bridge.  The  keep 
has  a  quatrefoil  plan.  Corbelled-out  turrets  fill  three 
angles,  whilst  the  fourth  is  occupied  by  a  rectangular 
gateway  with  the  chapel  above.  The  royal  arms 
and  those  of  Clifford  were  placed  above  the  entrance 
during  the  seventeenth  century;  and  the  keep  became 
known  as  Clifford's  Tower.  The  keep  owes  the  ruined 
condition  of  its  interior  to  a  fire  which  broke  out 
while  it  was  used  as  a  powder  magazine. 

The  military  architecture  of  York,  whilst  giving 
an    idea    of   strength    and    power    to    the    city,    adds 

(0411)  2 


i8  YORK 

greatly  to  its  picturesqueness.  The  line  of  embattled 
walls  is  agreeably  broken  by  buttresses  and  mural 
towers,  whilst  the  stately  gatehouses  set  along  the 
line  of  fortification  give  a  sense  of  dignity,  at  the 
same  time  reflecting  the  sturdy  independence  of  the 
men  of  York. 

The  streets  are  generally  termed  "  gates  ",  the  gate- 
houses "bars",  and  the  city  walls  "bar  walls".  Such 
names  as  Blossom  Street,  Nunnery  Lane,  and  Bridge 
Street  are  only  modern  substitutes  for  Ploxamgate, 
Baggergate,  and  Briggate.  The  "gates"  of  York 
often  confuse  visitors.  A  revising  barrister  once 
excused  himself  for  being  late  in  court  by  saying 
that  he  had  lost  his  way  and  at  last  found  himself 
in  "Bootham-gate-street!"  The  street  referred  to  is 
simply  named  Bootham.  The  streets  are  narrow  and 
wind  in  all  directions.  "What  narrow  streets!"  ex- 
claimed Sidney  Smith  to  one  of  the  city  tradesmen. 
"There  is  scarcely  room  for  two  carriages  to  pass." 
"Not  room!"  was  the  indignant  reply.  "There's 
plenty  of  room,  sir,  and  two  inches  to  spare." 

The  city  is  pleasantly  situated  on  slightly  elevated 
ground  in  the  midst  of  a  plain.  Through  it  flows  the 
Ouse,  which  is  crossed  by  three  bridges.  The  central 
one — Ouse  Bridge — is  of  stone  and  consists  of  three 
elliptical  arches.  The  other  two  are  of  iron  and  have 
quatrefoil  parapets.    A  view  of  Lendal  Bridge  shows 


THE  CITY  19 

the  old  water  towers.  The  bridge  is  of  a  single 
span,  and  on  the  apex  of  the  arch  the  Queen-mother, 
Alexandra,  is  depicted  as  an  angel,  holding  the  shield 
of  St.  George.  Other  shields,  on  the  parapet,  bear 
the  arms  of  Plantagenet  England,  the  See  of  York, 
and  the  White  Rose.  On  either  side  charming  views 
present  themselves.  On  the  left  by  the  side  of  the 
river  is  the  Esplanade,  backed  by  St.  Mary's  Abbey 
Close,  in  which  are  the  ruins  of  the  Abbey  Church. 
Towards  the  right  is  a  beautiful  view  of  the  city. 
Rising  from  the  riverside  are  the  stone  buildings  of 
the  Post  Office,  Council  Chamber,  and  the  ancient 
Guildhall,  while  beyond  are  seen  the  towers  and 
spires  of  the  city  churches.  Skeldergate  Bridge  con- 
sists of  central  and  side  arches,  and  has  its  parapet 
adorned  with  the  Lily  of  France  and  the  Sun  of 
York. 

In  the  streets  old  timber  and  plaster  dwellings, 
with  their  overhanging  stories  and  high-peaked  red- 
tiled  gables,  are  here  and  there  hemmed  in  by  modern 
buildings.  Timber  houses,  however,  are  becoming 
scarcer,  and  quite  recently  a  number  of  such  dwell- 
ings have  been  demolished.  A  few  carved  brackets 
which  carry  overhanging  stories  remain  in  Stonegate 
and  Fossgate,  and  two  from  Davygate  have  been  re- 
erected  in  Trinity  Lane.  The  Shambles,  of  which 
a  view  is  given,  is  the  only  street  that  preserves  its 


20  YORK 

narrow  mediaeval  character.  From  the  uppermost 
of  its  overhanging  stories  you  might  shake  hands 
with  your  neighbour  across  the  street.  This  and 
Little  Shambles  are  the  delight  of  artists.  The  end 
of  one  house  has  been  shorn  of  the  lath  and  plaster 
work  and  shows  how  such  timber  houses  were  con- 
structed. The  antiquity  of  the  houses  in  High  Peter- 
gate,  and  the  mediaeval  narrowness  of  the  street, 
enable  one  looking  towards  Bootham  Bar  to  realize 
the  former  appearance  of  the  approach  to  a  gate- 
house from  within  the  city.  The  approaches  to  the 
other  Bars  have  been  widened  and  their  aspect 
changed.  A  characteristic  of  York  is  the  frequent 
occurrence  at  street  corners  of  an  ancient  church 
surrounded  by  its  burial-ground. 

"  Each  in  its  little  plot  of  holy  ground, 
How  beautiful  they  stand, 
These  old  grey  churches  of  our  native  land." 

The  business  of  the  city  was  in  the  hands  of  its 
freemen.  Their  privileges  were  great.  Only  a  free- 
man could  trade  in  the  city,  and  his  sons  might 
become  free  on  attaining  their  majority.  He  had 
also  the  right  of  voting  for  the  city's  representatives 
in  Parliament.  The  freedom  of  the  city  was  granted 
to  outsiders  who  served  an  apprenticeship  of  seven 
years  to  a  freeman,  or  by  purchase  or  gift.  No  one 
was  admitted  to  the  freedom  without  taking  an  oath 


THE  SHAMBLES 


THE  CITY  21 

before  the  Lord  Mayor,  and  the  freeman  was  sworn 
to  present  to  the  Lord  Mayor  any  unfranchised  man 
who  attempted  to  trade  within  the  city  and  to  take 
charge  of  his  goods.  Each  trade  had  its  own  guild 
ruled  by  the  Master,  Wardens,  and  Searchers.  Two 
of  these  trading  companies  are  still  in  existence,  the 
Merchant  Adventurers  and  the  Merchant  Taylors. 
The  hall  of  the  former  guild  is  in  Fossgate.  Over 
the  entrance  is  their  arms  and  motto  Dieu  nous 
donne  bonne  adventure.  Steps  lead  from  the  court- 
yard to  the  hall  with  its  three  gables,  the  barge  boards 
of  which  are  carved  with  the  leaves  and  fruit  of  the 
vine.  The  hall  is  a  timber  and  plaster  building  and 
consists  of  two  rooms  which  have  panelled  dados 
and  open  roofs.  Each  room  is  60  feet  long  and 
25  feet  wide.  The  walls  of  the  courtroom  are 
adorned  with  paintings  of  past  governors  as  well 
as  a  full-length  portrait  of  George  the  First.  The 
chapel  stairs  are  approached  by  a  large  trapdoor  in 
the  floor.  Service  is  held  there  on  Charter  Day 
(26  March).  Of  the  old  standards  for  weights  and 
measures,  there  is  left  a  brass  yard  measure.  The 
scales  are  of  the  date  1790.  An  oval  tobacco-  or  snuff- 
box belonged  to  the  ancient  company  of  "  Linnen 
Weavers".  On  the  anniversary  of  the  execution  of 
Charles  I,  the  Merchant  Adventurers  in  compliance 
with  the  will  of  Jane   Stainton  attend  service  in  All 


22  YORK 

Saints'  Church,   Pavement,   to  be  reminded   of  their 
latter  end. 

The  Merchant  Taylors*  Hall,  a  brick  building,  is 
in  Aldwark.  In  the  smaller  room  is  an  inscription 
setting  forth  that: — "This  Company  has  beene  digni- 
fied in  the  yeare  1679,  by  haveing  on  their  Fraternity 
eight  kings,  eleven  dukes,  thirty  earles,  and  forty-four 
lords."  On  St.  John  the  Baptist's  Day  the  Merchant 
Taylors  attend  service  at  All  Saints'  Church,  Pavement, 
in  accordance  with  the  will  of  John  Straker,  who  died 
in  1667. 

St.  Anthony's  Hall,  on  Peaseholme  Green,  accom- 
modated those  of  the  city  guilds  which  had  no  hall  of 
their  own.  The  hall,  on  the  upper  floor,  81  feet 
long  and  58  feet  wide,  was  divided  into  a  nave 
(28  feet  wide)  and  aisles,  and  was  40  feet  high.  It 
possesses  a  fine  timber  roof  with  embattled  wall 
plate.  The  arched  principals  spring  from  corbels 
depicting  angels  with  shields.  Two  oak  tables  re- 
main. One  carved  "This  table  done  at  the  cost  of 
the  sadlers".  The  other  "This  done  at  the  charges 
of  the  joyners  and  carpenters  and  masons".  In  1705 
St.  Anthony's  Hall  was  converted  into  the  Blue  Coat 
School. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  street,  a  gabled  house, 
now  the  Black  Swan,  was  occupied  by  the  family  of 
Bowes,  a  member  of  which,  William,  was  twice  Lord 


THE   CITY  23 

Mayor  of  York.  His  descendant,  Sir  Martin  Bowes, 
born  in  the  house,  became  Lord  Mayor  of  London. 
Sir  Martin  presented  a  sword  four  feet  long  with 
a  hilt  of  silver  gilt  to  his  native  city.  The  blade 
is  engraved  *'for  a  remembrance  to  the  Mayor  and 
Communaltie  of  this  said  honorable  Citie".  The 
sheath  was  originally  covered  with  crimson  velvet 
garnished  with  stones  and  pearls. 

The  various  craft  guilds  took  part  in  the  Mysteries 
and  Miracles,  which  were  rudimentary  dramas,  founded 
on  Bible  history  or  on  the  stories  of  the  lives  of  the 
saints.  Each  of  the  fifty-four  crafts  produced  a  separ- 
ate pageant.  The  plays  took  place  on  Corpus  Christi 
Day,  which  fell  the  Thursday  after  Trinity  Sunday, 
and  were  enacted  on  movable  stages  which  could 
be  wheeled  from  place  to  place.  The  performances, 
which  were  carried  on  simultaneously  in  a  dozen 
different  stations  in  the  city,  enjoyed  a  great  popu- 
larity, and  this  was  one  of  the  reasons  for  building 
the  Guildhall,  that  a  commodious  theatre  was  needed 
for  these  productions. 

During  the  sixteenth  century  plays  were  performed 
in  the  Guildhall  by  itinerant  companies  of  players,  who 
attached  themselves  either  to  the  sovereign  or  to  some 
prominent  nobleman.  The  stately  hall  is  divided  into 
nave  and  aisles  by  two  rows  of  octagonal  oak  pillars 
which  support  timber  arches  carrying  a  low-pitched 


24  YORK 

roof.  The  windows  are  filled  with  modern  painted 
glass  depicting  events  in  the  history  of  York.  The 
room  behind,  with  its  panelling  concealing  staircases, 
is  that  in  which  two  hundred  thousand  pounds  were 
paid  to  the  Scottish  army  for  handing  over  Charles  I 
to  the  English  Parliament. 

The  towers  and  spires  of  the  churches  add  much 
to  the  charm  of  the  city.  Though  the  churches  are 
small,  they  are  full  of  interesting  objects.  The  earliest 
work  is  the  tower  of  St.  Mary,  Bishophill  Junior,  which 
exhibits  all  the  features  of  pre-Conquest  architecture. 
St.  Mary's,  Castlegate,  possesses  an  extremely  in- 
teresting stone  of  the  eleventh  century,  recording 
that,  "This  Minster  was  set  up  by  Eferaud  and 
Grim  and  ^se  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  and  St.  Mary  and  St.  Martin  and  St.  Cuthbert 
and  All  Saints  and  was  consecrated  in  the  year " 

The  old  church  of  St.  Lawrence,  with  the  exception 
of  the  tower,  has  been  taken  down  and  a  new  church 
erected  on  an  adjoining  site.  Sir  John  Vanbrugh, 
the  dramatist  and  architect  of  Blenheim  and  Castle 
Howard,  was  married  in  the  old  church.  The  door- 
way to  the  nave  has  been  preserved  and  rebuilt 
as  the  tower  doorway.  This  beautiful  example  of 
Norman  work  forms  the  subject  of  one  of  the  pic- 
tures. The  tower  is  now  the  only  relic  of  the  eight 
churches  which  formerly  stood  within  the  area  of  the 


NORMAN    PORCH,   ST.   LAWRENCES  TOWER 


THE   CITY  25 

present  parish.  During  the  siege  of  York  in  the 
seventeenth  century,  this  churchyard  formed  the  base 
of  the  Parliamentarian  attack  on  Walmgate  Bar,  three 
thousand  men  being  engaged.  As  a  consequence,  the 
church  was  demolished,  but  subsequently  rebuilt.  The 
quaint  parish  stocks  are  within  the  churchyard  gates. 

The  three  Norman  doorways  of  York  are  all 
curiously  enough  in  the  Walmgate  district.  The 
nave  of  St.  Denis  was  taken  down  in  1798;  the 
aisled  choir  and  a  modern  tower  now  form  the  church. 
The  old  Norman  doorway  to  the  nave  was  rebuilt 
with  square  pilasters  instead  of  shafts  and  forms  the 
new  entrance.  In  the  north  aisle  was  buried  Henry, 
Earl  of  Northumberland,  who  fell  at  Towton.  Percy's 
Inn,  an  old  palace  of  the  Earls  of  Northumberland, 
stood  opposite  the  church.  The  finest  Norman  door- 
way is  that  at  St.  Margaret's  Church.  The  arch  is 
of  four  orders,  adorned  with  the  signs  of  the  Zodiac. 
The  piers  have  a  double  chevron  and  carved  imposts, 
whilst  the  shafts  have  carved  caps.  The  gable  is 
surmounted  with  a  crucifix. 

Most  of  the  churches  were  rebuilt  or  extended 
during  the  fifteenth  century.  Many  are  famous  for 
mediaeval  painted  glass.  All  Saints,  North  Street, 
has  some  early  fourteenth-century  glass.  Amongst 
later  work  is  a  window  illustrating  the  poem  The 
Prick  of  Conscience  by  Richard  Rolle  of  Hampole.     It 


26  YORK 

depicts  the  last  fifteen  days  of  the  world,  and  under 
each  panel  are  two  lines  of  the  poem.  Another 
window  depicts  the  ** Corporal  Acts  of  Mercy".  At 
St.  John's  are  portrayed  events  in  the  life  of  the 
Baptist,  while  at  St.  Michael's,  Spurriergate,  the  "Nine 
Choirs  of  Angels"  are  represented.  In  St.  Martin's, 
Coney  Street,  the  west  window,  painted  in  1447,  illus- 
trates the  life  of  St.  Martin.  The  clerestory  con- 
tains fine  figures  of  the  four  Doctors  of  the  church, 
the  four  Evangelists,  and  Saints  Barbara,  Catherine, 
Wilfrid,  and  Denis.  The  east  window  at  Holy  Trinity, 
Goodramgate,  is  dated  1470.  The  five  lights  contain 
figures  of  St.  George,  the  Baptist,  the  Holy  Trinity 
which  is  represented  as  Our  Father  in  Pity,  St.  John 
the  Evangelist,  and  St.  Christopher,  with  subject 
panels  below.  In  another  window  is  depicted  St.  Olaf. 
Of  the  monastic  churches,  the  nave  of  the  alien 
Benedictine  Priory  of  the  Holy  Trinity  in  Micklegate 
is  still  in  use,  it  having  been  converted  into  a  parish 
church.  Adjoining  the  Rectory  is  a  half-timbered 
house,  still  bearing  the  inn  sign  "Jacob's  Well"; 
it  is  now  the  Parish  Room.  It  was  in  the  year  1472 
the  residence  of  two  of  the  chantry  priests  of  the 
Priory  Church.  After  the  Dissolution  it  was  pur- 
chased by  Isabel  Ward,  the  last  prioress  of  the 
Benedictine  Nunnery  of  Clementhorpe,  who  lived  in 
it  until  her  death  in  1569. 


THE   CITY  27 

York  from  the  beginning  of  the  fourteenth  century 
to  the  end  of  the  eighteenth  was  famous  for  its 
church-bell  founding.  The  later  founders  were  Old- 
field,  Smith,  Seller,  and  Dalton,  and  many  of  their 
bells  hang  in  the  turrets  and  towers  throughout  the 
northern  counties.  St.  Mary,  Bishophill  Junior,  pos- 
sesses two  fourteenth-century  bells,  one  is  inscribed 
in  Gothic  capitals  and  bears  a  stamp  with  a  figure 
of  the  Baptist.  The  other  inscription  is  in  bold  black 
letter  and  bears  a  beautiful  stamp  of  the  Annun- 
ciation. 

York  was  also  renowned  for  the  work  of  its  gold- 
and  silver-smiths.  Much  of  the  church  plate  is  York 
made,  and  is  principally  of  the  sixteenth  and  seven- 
teenth centuries.  It  bears  the  York  mark — half  fleur 
de  lys  and  half  leopard  head.  Amongst  the  makers 
of  church  plate  were  George  Mangy,  William  Busfield, 
and  Marmaduke  Best  who  made  the  gold  loving-cup 
which  belongs  to  the  Corporation. 

Scattered  over  the  city  are  mansions  of  the  Geor- 
gian period.  These  houses  are  built  of  red  brick  in 
Flemish  bond  and  have  stone  quoins  and  doorways. 
The  cellar  areas  were  protected  from  the  rough 
pavements  by  beautiful  wrought-iron  railings,  whilst 
hammered  scroll-work  brackets  supported  torch  ex- 
tinguishers and  the  circle  for  the  oil  lamp.  The 
rain-water    conductors    were    of   lead    of    rectangular 


28  YORK 

shape,  with  spout-heads  of  elaborate  workmanship, 
which  bore  heraldic  devices,  monograms,  or  dates. 
The  leaden  cisterns  were  similarly  treated.  The 
interiors  of  these  houses  have  panelled  walls  with 
dentilled  cornices  and  carved  plaster  ceilings,  pedi- 
mented  doorways,  and  chimney-pieces  with  oil  paint- 
ings framed  in  the  overmantel. 

As  the  city  was  lighted  by  a  few  oil  lamps,  and 
watchmen  were  scarce,  it  was  necessary  for  ladies 
in  their  sedans  to  be  attended  by  torch-bearers.  In 
Petergate,  Gillygate,  and  Duncombe  Street  extin- 
guishers  still   hang   by   the   side   of  doors. 

A  residence  for  the  Lord  Mayor  was  built  from 
the  design  of  the  Earl  of  Burlington,  who  was  also 
the  architect  for  the  Assembly  Rooms.  The  assem- 
blies were  originally  held  in  the  King's  Manor,  but 
larger  premises  being  required,  Sir  William  Went- 
worth  promoted  a  company  and  raised  five  thousand 
pounds  to  build  the  Assembly  Rooms.  Lady  Went- 
worth  was  so  proficient  at  shuttlecock  that  she  broke 
one  of  the  high  windows.  During  a  race  week  in 
1735  there  was  paid  for  candles  used  at  the  assem- 
blies the  sum  of  thirty-six  pounds  five  shillings. 

The  Theatre  Royal  was  built  by  Joseph  Baker 
on  the  remains  of  St.  Peter's  Hospital.  It  became 
famous  under  the  management  of  Tate  Wilkinson, 
who  was  patentee  of  the  theatres  at  York  and  Hull, 


THE   CITY  29 

and  manager  of  those  at  Leeds,  Bradford,  Doncaster, 
Wakefield,  and  Pontefract.  These  theatres  comprised 
the  York  circuit.  He  was  a  painstaking  manager^ 
and  was  in  the  habit,  when  a  new  piece  was  being 
introduced,  of  viewing  it  from  the  gallery.  On  one 
occasion,  noticing  some  slovenly  acting,  he  began  to 
hiss  vigorously.  The  **gods",  not  being  so  hyper- 
critical, and  not  recognizing  him,  cried,  "Turn  him 
out",  and  turned  out  he  was  from  his  own  theatre. 
During  the  Assizes,  Races,  and  the  winter,  York 
was  the  favourite  resort  of  the  nobility  and  gentry 
of  the  north;  concerts,  dances,  and  card  parties  at 
the  Assembly  Rooms,  and  plays  at  the  Theatre  being 
the  fashionable  amusements.  John  Coleman,  a  later 
lessee,  is  said  to  have  prepared  his  own  playbills, 
which  were  couched  in  grandiose  language.  In  this 
connection,  a  story  is  told  to  the  effect  that  one 
morning  at  rehearsal,  he  exclaimed  to  the  property 
man:  **Have  you  all  ready  for  to-night?"  *'Yes,  all 
except  the  pedestal."  "The  what?"  thundered  Cole- 
man. "The  pedestal,"  was  repeated.  "What  is  that 
for?"  roared  the  lessee.  The  property  man  took 
down  the  playbill  and  pointed  out  the  words:  "On 
this  occasion  Mr.  Coleman  will  descend  from  his 
pedestal  and  enact  the  part  of  Bob  Hawkins." 

The    introduction    of   railways    was    welcomed    by 
George  Hudson,  a  draper  in  College  Street.     He  took 


30  YORK 

the  foremost  position  in  promoting  the  construction 
of  a  line  to  York.  His  name  became  one  of  the  most 
prominent  in  the  railway  world  and  he  was  spoken 
of  as  the  Railway  King.  He  was  thrice  Lord  Mayor 
of  York  and  represented  Sunderland  in  Parliament 
for  fourteen  years.  The  railway  crisis  ended  his 
public  career. 

York  is  a  garrison  town  with  cavalry  and  infantry 
barracks  on  Fulford  Road,  and  there  is  a  summer 
camp  of  1600  acres  at  Strensall.  Around  the  city 
are  considerable  tracts  of  land  known  as  strays 
and  belonging  to  the  freemen  of  the  city.  The 
strays  contain  altogether  743  acres.  The  Micklegate 
Strays  of  Knavesmire,  Hob  Moor,  and  Scarcroft  have 
been  recently  acquired  by  the  Corporation. 

York  is  the  assize  town  for  the  North  and  East 
Ridings.  The  city  itself  has  been  a  county  from 
early  times,  and  has  a  sheriff  and  an  assize  of  its 
own.  The  judges'  lodging  is  a  large  brick  house  in 
Lendal.  The  courts  are  within  the  castle  yard,  and 
the  approach  of  His  Majesty's  judges  is  announced 
by  a  fanfare  from  the  high  sheriff's  trumpeters. 

The  city  is  in  the  midst  of  an  agricultural  district, 
and  on  market  days  one  hundred  and  fifty  carriers' 
wagons  come  heavily  laden  with  passengers  and 
produce  for  the  open-air  market  held  in  Parliament 
Street 


THE   CITY  31 

For  the  accommodation  of  the  public  there  are 
above  two  hundred  inns  and  taverns.  In  the  "Black 
Swan",  Coney  Street,  is  preserved  a  coaching-bill,  of 
which  the  following  is  a  copy: — 

"YORK  FOUR  DAYS  STAGE  COACH 

Begins  on  Friday  the  12th  of  April  1706. 

All  that  are  desirous  to  pass  from  London  to  York,  or  from 
York  to  London,  or  any  other  Place  on  the  Road,  Let  them 
Repair  to  the  Black  Swan  in  Holbourn  in  London,  and  to  the 
Black  Swan  in  Coney  Street  in  York.  At  both  which  Places, 
they  may  be  received  in  a  Stage  Coach  every  Monday, 
Wednesday  and  Friday,  which  performs  the  whole  Journey 
in  Four  Days  (if  God  Permits).  And  sets  forth  at  Five  in  the 
Morning.  And  returns  from  York  to  Stamford  in  two  days,  and 
from  Stamford  by  Huntington  to  London  in  two  days  more.  And 
the  like  stages  on  their  return.  Allowing  each  Passenger  141b. 
weight,  and  all  above  zd.  a  pound. 


Performed  By 


BENJAMIN   KINGMAN. 
HENRY  HARRISON. 
WALTER   BAYNES. 


Also  this  gives  Notice  that  Newcastle  Stage  Coach  sets  out 
from  York,  every  Monday  and  Friday  and  from  Newcastle  every 
Monday  and  Friday." 


32  YORK 


THE    MINSTER 

The  Church  was  the  dominant  factor  in  the  social 
Hfe  of  mediaeval  England.  Bishops  vied  with  each 
other  in  making  their  cathedrals  more  and  more 
beautiful.  Each  person  was  anxious  to  do  his  share 
in  helping  on  the  great  work  of  the  Church.  Kings 
used  their  influence  to  further  building  operations, 
nobles  gave  materials  and  money,  whilst  ecclesiastics 
worked  diligently  in  the  cause  and  set  a  good  example 
to  the  faithful.  Funds  for  the  fabric  were  augmented 
by  the  granting  of  indulgences,  penances,  and  briefs, 
and  by  offerings  and  bequests.  A  noble  would  re- 
member his  friends  by  erecting  some  part  of  the 
structure  or  by  gifts  of  painted  windows;  a  merchant 
endowed  a  chantry  chapel,  the  tradesman  set  up  an 
altar;  whilst  the  less  wealthy  left  a  sum  of  money 
for  a  priest  to  say  mass  at  an  already  existing  altar. 
Each  citizen  was  personally  interested  in  the  edifice. 

The  first  minster  at  York  was  built  nearly  thir- 
teen centuries  ago  for  the  baptism  of  Edwin,  King 
of  Northumbria,  It  was  of  wood  and  dedicated  to 
St.  Peter,  and  therein  the  King  was  baptized  by 
Bishop  Paulinus.  Edwin  selected  his  political  capi- 
tal of  York  to  be  also  the  ecclesiastical  capital,  and 


H 

z 


O 


THE   MINSTER  33 

induced  Pope  Honorius  to  confirm  his  selection  of 
Paulinus  as  Archbishop,  and  he  began  the  erection 
of  a  stone  cathedral  around  the  wooden  edifice.  But 
before  the  scheme  could  be  carried  out,  the  King 
fell  in  battle,  and  Paulinus  fled  for  safety  to  Kent, 
and  it  was  not  until  after  a  century  that  York  be- 
came an  archbishopric.  During  the  time  of  Alcuin, 
schoolmaster  at  York  and  the  greatest  scholar  of  his 
age,  a  new  minster  was  erected,  which  was  destroyed 
by  fire  in  the  revolt  of  northern  England  against  the 
Normans. 

Thomas,  the  first  Norman  Archbishop,  set  about 
the  erection  of  a  new  cathedral.  He  formed  out  of 
the  ruins  of  the  old  one  a  choir,  and,  in  front,  built 
a  wide  tower  with  transepts  and  an  aisled  nave.  He 
introduced  the  apse  to  terminate  the  eastern  end  of 
the  choir  and  the  transept  chapels.  Owing  to  the 
rebellious  tendencies  of  the  men  of  York,  the  new 
tower  may  have  been  planned  with  an  idea  of  de- 
fence and  as  a  place  of  refuge. 

In  the  next  century,  Roger,  who  had  been  Arch- 
deacon of  Canterbury  and  had  seen  the  building  of 
the  choir  there,  was  appointed  to  the  See  of  York. 
As  the  small  aisleless  choir  at  York  did  not  appeal 
to  him,  he  replaced  it  with  a  large  crypt  and  aisled 
choir,  which  would  present  less  contrast  with  the 
glorious    choir    he    had    left.      The    crypt   consists   of 

(€411)  ,  3 


34  YORK 

five  aisles,  separated  by  columns  and  short  massive 
diapered  piers,  which  are  surrounded  by  small  shafts. 
The  doorways  were  richly  sculptured.  Part  of  the 
exterior  northern  wall  is  now  enclosed  within  the 
present  crypt.  On  the  stonework  of  the  Norman 
crypt  are  some  well-preserved  masons'  marks. 

The  cathedral  at  York  was  never  attached  to  a 
monastery,  but  was  occupied  by  a  body  of  secular 
canons,  who  in  the  early  days  led  a  kind  of  com- 
munal life.  It  is  probably  from  this  circumstance 
that  the  cathedral  has  been  generally  referred  to 
as  the  Minster  (monasterium). 

Pilgrimages  to  shrines  of  saints  became  very  pop- 
ular; the  Minster,  however,  was  at  a  great  disad- 
vantage in  comparison  with  the  other  great  minsters 
and  cathedrals,  for  it  had  no  illustrious  saint  buried 
within  its  walls.  In  Beverley  Minster  the  famed  arch- 
bishop of  York — St.  John  of  Beverley — was  buried. 
Durham  Cathedral  contained  the  remains  of  Cuthbert, 
the  most  famous  of  the  saints  of  northern  England. 
Canterbury  possessed  the  tomb  of  the  most  popular 
of  English  saints,  Thomas  a  Becket.  Westminster 
Abbey  enclosed  the  remains  of  the  saintly  Edward 
the  Confessor.  St.  Albans  prided  itself  on  the  relics 
of  the  early  Saint  Alban. 

The  Archbishop  of  York  and  the  Chapter  of  the 
Cathedral  agreed   to  urge   the   Pope   to   place  Arch- 


THE   MINSTER  35 

bishop  William,  who  was  buried  in  the  Minster,  on  the 
calendar.  William's  career  as  Archbishop  had  been 
a  chequered  one.  He  was  the  son  of  Count  Herbert 
and  a  nephew  of  King  Stephen.  On  the  death  of 
Thurstan,  the  King  was  anxious  that  his  nephew, 
who  at  the  time  was  Treasurer  to  the  Minster,  should 
become  Archbishop.  The  election  was  forced  in  such 
an  aggressive  manner  that  the  clergy  resented  such 
an  exercise  of  Court  influence,  and  against  William 
Fitz Herbert  were  also  arrayed  the  Abbots  of  Rievaulx 
and  Fountams,  the  Priors  of  Guisborough  and  Kirk- 
ham,  and  the  Master  of  St.  Peter's  Hospital  at  York, 
Both  parties  went  to  Rome  to  lay  their  case  before 
Pope  Innocent,  with  the  result  that  William,  return- 
ing successful  to  England,  was  consecrated  at  Win- 
chester. Two  years  later  a  cardinal  brought  the 
pallium  for  William,  but  before  it  was  delivered,  the 
Pope  died,  and  the  cardinal  returned  to  Rome,  carry- 
ing the  insignia  back  with  him.  William  hurried  to 
Rome,  and  when  he  got  there  the  quarrel  was  re- 
opened, and  he  now  found  a  bitter  opponent  in  the 
great  St.  Bernard.  The  treatment  which  Archbishop 
William  received  was  resented  by  his  friends  in 
York,  and  they  resolved  to  march  to  Ripon  and 
attack  Murdac,  Abbot  of  Fountains.  The  attack 
was  so  serious  that  William  was  deposed,  and 
Murdac    made   Archbishop.      On   his   death,   William 


:^  YORK 

was  recalled,  and  he  set  out  for  the  city  of  York, 
but  was  met  on  the  way  by  the  Dean  and  the  Arch- 
deacon, who  had  opposed  him  and  now  announced 
their  intention  of  appealing  against  his  election. 
William,  however,  reached  York  and  was  met  by 
such  a  large  crowd  that  the  timber  bridge  over 
the  Ouse  collapsed.  Many  were  thrown  into  the 
river.  The  Archbishop,  who  had  crossed  safely  before 
the  accident,  heard  their  screams.  He  turned  round 
and  began  to  pray  that  all  might  be  saved.  His  prayer 
was  granted,  and  a  miracle  considered  to  have  been 
worked.  On  Trinity  Sunday,  the  Archbishop,  offici- 
ating in  the  Minster,  was  taken  suddenly  ill  and 
returned  to  the  palace.  Within  thirty  days  of  his 
triumphal  entry  into  York,  he  died  of  fever.  His 
friends  said  he  had  been  poisoned.  He  was  buried 
in  the  Minster,  his  sudden  death  calling  forth  the 
sympathy  of  the  populace.  Miracles  were  wrought 
at  his  tomb,  from  which  flowed  oil.  Sick  people 
anointed  with  the  oil  became  well.  A  man  named 
Ralph,  who  had  lost  the  sight  of  both  eyes,  after 
praying  and  fasting,  came  to  the  tomb  and  recovered 
his  sight.  William  was  placed  on  the  calendar  in 
the  year  1227.  Indulgences  were  granted  by  the  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury  and  the  Bishops  of  London  and 
Lincoln  to  those  who  visited  the  tomb.  Pilgrims 
came  from  all  parts  to  the  tomb  of  the  saint  bring- 


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YORK   FROM   THE   CITY   WALLS 


THE   MINSTER  37 

ing  offerings,  with  the  result  that  the  Minster  au- 
thorities were  encouraged  to  begin  the  erection  of 
a  new  cathedral.  They  began  with  the  renewal  of 
the  transepts  and  then  proceeded  with  the  erection 
of  the  nave  and  chapter  house,  and  of  the  Lady 
Chapel  and  choir. 

York  Minster  impresses  the  beholder  by  its  massive- 
ness,  and  although  it  consists  of  buildings  of  various 
dates,  it  gives  an  impression  of  unity  of  design.  The 
earliest  portions  are  the  transepts,  and  there  is  a  great 
contrast  in  the  composition  of  the  two  gable  ends. 
That  of  the  northern  from  its  simplicity  seems  the 
earlier.  The  central  part  consists  of  an  arcade,  above 
which  are  five  long  lancets  known  as  "the  Five 
Sisters";  over  are  a  stringcourse  and  seven  lancets 
rising  to  the  slope  of  the  gable.  The  southern  tran- 
sept has  a  portal  set  between  arcading  and  lancets, 
above  which  is  a  central  window  of  two  lights  with 
a  lancet  on  either  side,  whilst  the  gable  is  filled  with 
a  large  and  beautiful  rose  window. 

The  western  front  is  a  charming  architectural  com- 
position. The  nave  gable-end,  with  entrance  and 
eight-light  window  with  its  flowing  tracery,  is  set 
between  two  buttressed  and  uniformly  pinnacled 
towers,  which  terminate  the  aisle  ends.  The  en- 
trance has  a  moulded  arch  enriched  with  delicate 
sculpture    in    which    the    history   of   Adam    and    Eve 


3!8  YORK 

and  their  sons  Cain  and  Abel  is  traced.  Above  the 
entrance  is  the  figure  of  an  archbishop  seated,  hold- 
ing a  model  of  the  western  front  in  his  hands,  and 
on  either  side  are  mailed  figures  with  shields  of  a 
Percy  and  a  Vavasour,  having  blocks  of  wood  and 
stone  which  signify  the  nature  of  their  gifts  to  the 
building.  The  aisles  are  divided  into  seven  bays  by 
buttresses  which  have  a  canopied  niche  with  figure 
and  lofty  pinnacles  and  which  support  the  flying  but- 
tresses to  the  nave  roof,  giving  an  effect  to  the  whole 
composition  of  great  stability  and  endurance.  The 
choir  and  Lady  Chapel  are  a  continuation  of  the  nave 
design.  They  differ  only  in  detail  and  lack  the  flying 
buttresses.  The  clerestory  passage  along  the  Lady 
Chapel  is  outside  the  windows.  The  walk  is  enclosed 
by  an  open  screen,  and  is  separated  from  the  choir 
clerestory  by  a  small  transept  with  a  lofty  window. 
The  eastern  end  contains  in  the  centre  a  window  of 
nine  lights  and  above  a  figure  of  Archbishop  Thoresby, 
holding  a  model  of  the  Minster.  Below  the  sill  are 
represented  busts  of  Christ  and  the  Apostles,  a  king, 
an  archbishop,  and  two  princes. 

On  the  northern  side  is  the  octagonal  chapter 
house  with  its  five-light  windows  between  angle  but- 
tresses. A  parapet  surrounds  the  pyramidical  roof; 
a  gargoyle  depicts  a  bishop,  in  a  boat,  giving  his 
benediction.     The  vestibule  was  built  after  the  chapter 


THE   MINSTER  39 

house,  to  connect  it  with  the  church.  The  whole  of 
the  northern  elevation  is  well  seen  from  the  Deanery 
Gardens.  It  is  difficult  to  realize  that  the  whole  was 
in  ruins  in  the  first  half  of  the  last  century.  The 
choir  was  fired  by  a  lunatic  in  1829,  and  the  nave  was 
destroyed  by  fire  in  1840  owing  to  the  carelessness  of 
a  workman.  The  central  tower,  fortunately,  proved 
a  barrier  to  the  flames  on  both  occasions  by  prevent- 
ing their  spreading  to  the  other  part  of  the  building. 

The  Minster  is  generally  entered  by  the  south 
transept.  Spaciousness  is  the  leading  feature  within. 
The  great  dimensions  of  the  transepts  with  the  lofty 
lantern  in  the  centre  and  the  "Five  Sisters"  at  the 
northern  end,  filled  in  with  ancient  brownish-green 
glass,  combine  to  make  this  the  finest  internal  view. 
The  resemblance  of  the  glass  to  tapestry  has  given 
rise  to  a  tradition  that  five  maiden  sisters  worked 
the  design  in  tapestry.  This  pretty  legend  forms  the 
subject  of  a  story  related  by  Dickens  in  Nicholas 
Nicklehy. 

The  view  westward  along  the  nave  is  a  fine  one. 
The  eight  bays  are  emphasized  by  the  vaulting  shafts 
which  rise  directly  from  the  floor,  whilst  the  end  is 
filled  with  arcading  in  which  is  set  the  entrance  and 
thereover  an  eight-light  window  with  beautiful  flow- 
ing tracery.  The  beauty  of  the  nave  owes  much 
to  the  fourteenth-century  glass  which   fills  the   aisle 


40  YORK 

and  clerestory  windows.  A  most  brilliant  scene  is 
produced  when  the  sun  shines  through  these  windows. 
The  view  from  the  western  end  embraces  the  whole 
length  of  the  Minster:  in  the  centre  the  tower  arches 
support  the  lantern  and  beyond  stretches  the  long 
vaulted  roof  over  the  organ  and  altar-screen  to  the 
east  end  with  its  large  magnificent  window.  The 
view  in  the  choir  looking  eastward  with  the  canopied 
stalls,  the  open  traceried  altar-screen,  backed  by  the 
great  window,  which  rises  to  the  lofty  vaulting,  is 
one  of  striking  beauty. 

The  chapter  house  is  octagonal  and  without  a 
single  column  to  support  the  vaulting.  Each  bay, 
excepting  the  entrance,  consists  of  six  canopied  stalls 
under  a  lofty  window.  The  glass  in  the  tracery  is 
adorned  with  shields  bearing  the  arms  of  King  Ed- 
ward I  and  of  members  of  his  Court.  The  windows 
have  alternately  diapered  and  subject  panels.  The 
subjects  are  taken  from  the  Bible  or  from  the  lives 
of  saints.  The  carving  on  the  stalls  is  exquisite 
and  consists  of  figures,  heads,  and  foliage.  The 
latter  is  treated  "naturally",  as  is  the  diaper  on  the 
glass.  The  ironwork  on  the  doors  consists  of  scrolls 
cut  into  leafage  and  flowers  and  finished  at  the  top 
in  zoomorphic  figures.  A  Latin  verse  painted  on  the 
wall  testifies  "As  the  rose  is  the  flower  of  flowers, 
so  is  this  the  house  of  houses  ". 


THE   MINSTER  41 

There  are  thirty  canons,  each  having  a  seat  in 
the  choir  and  chapter  house.  The  dignitaries  are 
the  dean,  precentor,  sub-dean,  chancellor,  succentor, 
and  the  four  residentiary  canons.  Collectively  they 
are  known  as  "The  Dean  and  Chapter  of  York". 
Formerly  each  canon  was  provided  with  an  assistant 
priest,  termed  a  vicar-choral.  The  original  number 
of  thirty-six  vicars-choral  has  been  reduced  to  five. 
There  was  also  a  large  number  of  chantry  priests. 

The  choir  entrance  is  set  in  the  screen,  amidst 
figures  of  the  kings  of  England  from  William  I  to 
Henry  VI.  The  western  end  of  the  choir  is  occupied 
by  canopied  stalls,  terminated  on  the  north  side  by 
the  pulpit,  and  on  the  south  side  by  the  cathedra 
of  the  Archbishop.  The  high  altar  formerly  stood 
a  bay  westward  from  the  glazed  screen,  being  set 
between  the  choir  transept  windows,  which  depict 
events  in  the  lives  of  the  two  great  northern  saints, 
Cuthbert  and  William.  Behind  the  high  altar  was 
a  large  painted  and  gilded  reredos,  with  a  door  at 
each  side,  opening  to  the  sacristy,  where  the  bones 
of  St.  William  were  preserved  in  a  portable  shrine. 
The  head  of  the  saint  was  kept  in  a  reliquary  of 
silver  gilt  covered  with  jewels. 

The  Lady  Chapel  consists  of  the  four  eastern 
bays.  Over  the  altar  is  the  great  window — the  largest 
one    in    the    world    containing    its    original    glazing. 


42  YORK 

The  contract  for  the  glazing  is  dated  lo  December, 
1405,  and  is  made  between  the  Dean  and  Chapter 
and  John  Thornton  of  Coventry,  who  undertook  to 
portray  with  his  own  hand  the  histories,  images, 
and  other  things  to  be  painted  on  it,  and  to  provide 
glass,  lead,  and  workmen  at  the  expense  of  the 
Chapter  and  to  finish  it  within  three  years.  Thornton 
was  to  receive  for  every  week  wherein  he  should 
work  in  his  art  four  shillings  and  each  year  five 
pounds,  and  after  the  work  was  completed  ten  pounds 
as  a  reward.  The  window  depicts  scenes  from  the 
Creation  to  the  death  of  Absalom  and  from  the  Revel- 
ation of  St.  John. 

The  tomb  of  Archbishop  Scrope  is  on  the  north 
side  of  the  altar  in  the  Lady  Chapel.  This  Arch- 
bishop joined  the  insurrection  against  Henry  IV,  and 
was  beheaded  in  a  field  on  Bishopthorpe  Road.  Four 
of  the  vicars-choral  conveyed  the  body  to  the  Minster 
and  buried  it  in  the  chapel  of  St.  Stephen.  Scrope 
was  generally  regarded  as  a  martyr. 

In  the  vestry  is  the  Horn  of  Ulphus,  formed  from 
an  elephant's  tusk,  the  mouth  of  which  is  encircled 
by  a  carved  band  of  oriental  design.  Shortly  before 
the  Norman  Conquest,  Ulph,  son  of  Thorold,  lord 
of  a  great  part  of  eastern  Yorkshire,  laid  this  horn 
on  the  altar  in  token  that  he  bestowed  certain  lands 
on  the   Minster.     There  are  also  an  ancient  corona- 


THE   MINSTER  43 

tion  chair,  the  mazer  bowl  of  Archbishop  Scrope 
inscribed:  **  +  Recharde  arche  beschope  Scrope  grantis 
on  to  alle  that  drinkis  of  this  cope  XLti  dayis  to 
pardune",  a  silver  pastoral  staff  bearing  the  arms  of 
Catherine  of  Braganza,  taken  by  the  Earl  of  Danby 
from  James  Smith,  Bishop  of  Callipolis,  whilst  walk- 
ing in  procession  to  the  Minster  to  assume  the  office 
of  vicar-apostolic  of  the  Northern  District,  to  which 
he  had  been  appointed  by  the  Pope.  Adjoining  the 
vestry  is  the  chapel  of  Archbishop  Zouche,  which 
contains  a  picturesque  mediaeval  well.  Near  the  en- 
trance to  the  crypt  are  two  fine  quadrant  cope  chests 
covered  with  gracefully  curved  ironwork. 

Amongst  the  monuments  in  the  Minster  is  an 
effigy  of  Prince  William  of  Hatfield,  the  second  son 
of  Edward  HI.  The  others  are  principally  of  arch- 
bishops. The  tomb  of  Walter  de  Gray  consists  of 
a  bearded  effigy  on  a  slab  under  a  solid  canopy 
supported  by  shafts.  That  of  William  Greenfield  is  a 
table  tomb  bearing  a  brass  on  which  he  is  depicted. 
Above  is  a  roofed  canopy  surmounted  by  a  figure  of 
the  archbishop.  On  a  table  tomb  is  a  recumbent 
effigy  of  Archbishop  Savage  under  a  panelled,  arched 
canopy.  Henry  Bowet  was  buried  in  a  tomb  sur- 
mounted by  a  lofty  canopy.  That  of  John  Dolben, 
who  bore  the  Royalist  standard  at  Marston  Moor,, 
is  figured  in  white  marble.     The  effigy  reclines  on  a 


44  YORK 

high  base.  Treasurer  Haxey's  memorial  represents 
a  wasted  corpse  in  a  winding  sheet,  worked  in  stone; 
an  iron  trelHs  surrounds  it,  supporting  a  black  marble 
slab  on  which  minster  dues  used  to  be  paid.  In  the 
north  transept  is  a  memorial  window  to  Sir  Frank 
Lockwood,  M.P.  for  York.  The  inscription  below  is 
by  Lord  Rosebery.  In  the  south  transept  is  a  beau- 
tiful monument  to  the  late  Dean  Duncombe.  The 
monument  to  the  wife  of  Archbishop  Matthews  re- 
cords she  was  first  married  to  a  son  of  Matthew 
Parker,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury. 

"She  was  a  woman  of  exemplary  wisdom,  gravity,  piety, 
bounty,  and  indeed  in  other  virtues  not  only  above  her  sex,  but 
the  times.  One  excellent  act  of  her,  first  derived  upon  this 
church,  and  through  it  flowing  upon  the  country,  deserves  to  live 
as  long  as  the  church  itself.  The  library  of  the  deceased  arch- 
bishop, consisting  of  above  three  thousand  books,  she  gave  it  entirely 
to  the  public  use  of  this  church.  A  rare  example  that  so  great 
care  to  advance  learning  should  lodge  in  a  woman's  breast!  but 
it  was  the  less  wonder  in  her  because  she  was  kin  to  so  much 
learning." 

She  was  the  daughter  of  a  bishop,  and  one  of  four 
sisters  all  of  whom  married  bishops. 

The  Minster  Close  is  bounded  on  two  sides  by 
the  city  walls.  At  Westminster  on  i8  May,  1285, 
Edward  I  granted  a 

"License  for  the  Dean  and  Chapter  of  St.  Peter's,  York,  to 
enclose  the  churchyard  and  precinct  of  their  church  with  a  stone 
wall  twelve  feet  high  all  round,  for  the  prevention  of  nocturnal 
incursions  of  thieves  in  the  streets  and  lanes  in  the  said  precinct, 


e-'«HAJ«iH 


COLLEGE   STREET,   ST,    WILLIAMS   COLLECJ:   AND   CHAPTLR    HOUSE 


THE   MINSTER  45 

and    of   night    wanderers    committing    homicides    and    other  evil 

there:    the  said  wall  to  be  provided  with    competent   gates  and 
posterns,  which  are  to  be  left  open  from  dawn  till  night." 


These  walls  and  three  gateways  have  been  destroyed. 
On  the  northern  side  of  the  close  stood  the  Arch- 
bishop's palace,  of  which  a  portion  of  the  fine  late 
Norman  arcade  exists.  The  Archbishop's  chapel  was 
built  in  the  early  part  of  the  thirteenth  century,  and 
has  examples  both  of  the  round  and  pointed  arch. 
The  chapel  and  its  undercroft  are  now  used  as  the 
Minster  Library.  The  prebendal  house  of  Stillington 
occupied  the  site  of  the  present  Deanery.  Eastward 
is  the  Treasurer's  house,  which  Mr.  Frank  Green  has 
restored  for  use  as  his  residence.  The  Prince  and 
Princess  of  Wales  (King  Edward  VII  and  Queen  Alex- 
andra) and  Princess  Victoria  occupied  the  Treasurer's 
house  during  their  visit  to  York  in  1897.  Southwards 
stood  other  prebendal  houses  and  the  old  Deanery. 
The  house  which  the  Prior  of  Hexham  held  in  virtue 
of  his  prebend  of  Salton  afterwards  became  the  home 
of  the  chantry  priests  and  was  known  as  St.  William's 
College.  The  buildings  surround  a  courtyard,  the 
lower  story  is  of  stone,  and  the  upper  a  projecting 
half-timbered  one.  When  King  Charles  fled  from 
London  to  his  beloved  city  of  York,  he  stayed  in 
Sir  Arthur  Ingram's  house,  formerly  the  palace,  and 
the   King's   son   on   his  arrival  was   created   Duke  of 


46 


YORK 


York  as  a  compliment  to  the  city.  On  St.  George's 
Day,  1642,  a  meeting  of  the  Knights  of  the  Garter  was 
held  in  the  chapter  house.    The  royal  press  was  estab- 


•#"rt*  •  ^  ik 


1 


4  ♦  •  ^ 

•  • 

4  •  •  ^ 

4  •  *  f 


•J 


¥  I    ' 


1.  South  Transept. 

2.  North  Transept. 


3.  Nave. 

4.  Chapter  House. 

7.  Choir. 


5.  Abp.  Zouche's  Chapel. 

6.  Lady  Chapel. 


lished  in  St.  William's  College.  The  college  has  been 
restored,  and  is  now  used  for  the  meetings  of  the 
Houses  of  Convocation  of  the  Northern  Province. 


THE  ABBEY  GROUNDS  47 


THE  ABBEY  GROUNDS 

The  charming  abbey  grounds  contain  within  their 
precincts  historic  monuments  and  rehcs  of  the  greatest 
interest.  An  angle-tower,  with  a  portion  of  the  wall 
that  surrounded  Roman  York,  recalls  the  struggle  of 
the  Brigantes  with  the  armour-clad  legionaries.  Ta- 
citus recounts  how  Caractacus,  the  gallant  Silurian 
chief,  after  his  defeat,  sought  the  protection  of  Car- 
tismandua,  the  Queen  of  the  Brigantes,  and  how 
basely  she  betrayed  him.  The  Romans,  after  their 
conquest  of  York,  garrisoned  the  city  with  the  Ninth 
Legion,  and  subsequently  built  a  walled-in  rectangular 
fort  with  angle  towers  and  central  gateways.  The 
Emperor  Hadrian  sent  over  the  Sixth  Legion  to  re- 
place the  Ninth  at  York,  and  afterwards  he  came 
over  in  person  to  superintend  the  building  of  a  wall 
from  the  Tyne  to  the  Solway  Firth.  Ninety  years 
later  the  Emperor  Septimius  Severus,  with  his  sons 
Caracalla  and  Geta,  came  to  York  on  his  way  to 
repel  the  Caledonians,  who  had  broken  through  the 
Wall.  The  campaign  lasted  two  years,  during  which 
period  the  Imperial  court  was  placed  at  York,  where 
Papinianus  the  great  jurist  administered  the  Roman 


48  YORK 

law.  The  Emperor  died  at  York  and  his  remains  were 
cremated  on  a  hill,  thenceforth  known  as  Severus  Hill. 
His  ashes  were  placed  in  an  urn  and  conveyed  by  his 
sons  to  Rome.  About  a  century  later  the  Emperor 
Constantius  Chlorus  came  over  to  quell  a  rising  in 
the  north.  He  died  at  York,  and  his  son  Constantine 
was  proclaimed  his  successor.  The  latter  soon  after- 
wards left  York  to  enter  on  that  famous  career  which 
has  earned  him  the  title  of  the  Great 

The  wall  enclosing  the  York  fort,  built  by  Roman 
masons,  is  four  and  a  half  feet  thick,  consisting  of 
lime-concrete  faced  on  both  sides  with  narrow  courses 
of  small  ashlar  limestone,  and  having  a  band  of  red 
tiles  about  the  middle  of  its  height.  The  angle-tower 
is  ten-sided  and  from  the  number  of  its  angles  is 
known  as  the  Multangular  Tower.  The  preservation 
of  the  wall  and  tower  is  owing  to  the  fact  that  the 
mediaeval  architects  adopted  the  same  line  for  their 
walls.  On  the  northern  side  of  the  tower,  however, 
the  mediaeval  wall  is  placed  some  five  feet  beyond 
the  Roman  one. 

Within  the  Roman  tower  and  wall  are  the  remains 
of  St.  Leonard's,  formerly  St.  Peter's,  Hospital.  The 
hospital  was  founded  by  King  Athelstan  on  his  re- 
turn to  York  from  the  glorious  victory  he  had  achieved 
at  Brunnanburh.  He  met  in  the  Minster  a  number 
of  religious  people  called  Coli  Dei  or  Culdees,  devoted 


THE  ABBEY  GROUNDS  49 

to  works  of  charity.  The  value  of  their  work  being 
greatly  hindered  for  want  of  funds,  Athelstan  granted 
to  God,  St.  Peter,  and  the  Culdees,  a  piece  of  crown 
land  on  which  they  might  erect  a  hospital,  and  for 
its  endowment  he  granted  a  thrave  of  corn  from 
every  plough  going  in  the  province  of  York.  The 
land  given  to  the  hospital  is  that  on  which  the 
Theatre  Royal  now  stands.  The  hospital  belonged  to 
the  Minster,  and  was  rebuilt  by  the  first  Norman 
Archbishop,  who  induced  the  Conqueror  to  confirm  the 
gift  of  thraves  of  corn,  and  also  to  add  more  land. 
The  cloister  or  undercroft  of  the  hospital  was  divided 
into  aisles  by  short  columns  and  covered  with  groined 
vaulting.  King  Stephen  built  a  church  for  the  hos- 
pital on  that  part  of  their  close  adjoining  the  king's 
street.  The  church  was  dedicated  to  St.  Leonard, 
and  he  also  changed  the  name  of  the  hospital  from 
St.  Peter's  to  St.  Leonard's.  From  this  time,  under 
royal  patronage,  the  hospital  became  independent 
of  the  Minster.  On  the  banks  of  the  river  was  a 
staith  appropriated  to  the  hospital. 

New  buildings  arose.  All  that  remains  of  these 
are  a  long  vaulted  gateway  having  on  the  north 
cloisters  of  the  same  length,  now  three  aisles  but 
formerly  five,  two  of  which  are  provided  with  a  large 
fireplace,  which  has  the  back  formed  of  thin  tiles 
arranged   herring-bonewise.      Above   were   the  wards 

(C411)  4 


50  YORK 

of   the    infirmary,    opening    at    the    east    end    to    the 
chapel,  under  which  is  a  vaulted  chamber. 

The  occupants  in  1280  numbered  nearly  400.  In 
the  infirmary  were  229  men  and  women  with  2 
washerwomen  and  7  servants,  in  the  orphanage  23 
boys  with  a  woman  caretaker.  There  were  8  chap- 
lains, II  lay  brethren,  3  secular  chaplains,  and  a  sub- 
deacon,  17  sisters,  19  choir  boys,  and  a  master  of  the 
song  school,  a  schoolmaster,  and  67  servants.  There 
was  a  large  distribution  of  alms  at  the  gate  of  this 
king's  almshouse  of  St.  Leonard,  and  a  dinner  was 
given  every  Sunday  for  each  prisoner  in  the  castle. 

The  hospital  was  independent  of  the  Archbishop, 
and  only  subject  to  the  king  or  his  deputies.  The 
great  Walter  Langton,  when  master  in  1294,  ordered 
each  chaplain  a  seat  and  desk  in  the  cloister.  In 
1344  there  were,  amongst  others,  in  the  hospital  a 
clerk  of  the  church,  a  cooper,  3  bakers,  2  brewers, 
2  smiths,  3  carters,  a  miller,  a  swineherd,  12  boat- 
men, a  ferrywoman,  2  valets,  a  groom,  a  cellarer,  a 
clerk  of  the  exchequer,  an  auditor,  and  a  seneschal. 
There  was  plenty  of  work  for  all  in  such  a  large 
establishment.  There  were  the  master,  brethren,  and 
sisters  to  wait  on,  the  sick  and  needy  to  attend  to, 
the  destitute  to  relieve  at  the  gates,  whilst  a  few  in 
their  own  homes  had  a  corrody  in  the  shape  of  food 
or  money.     The  inmates  were  well  provided  for;   the 


THE  ABBEY  GROUNDS  51 

king's  almsmen  received  the  same  fare  as  the  chap- 
lains, namely,  a  loaf  of  white  bread  and  a  gallon  of 
ale  of  the  better  quality,  flesh  and  fish  for  dinner  and 
supper,  also  a  loaf  and  a  gallon  of  ale  of  the  second 
quality.  During  the  year,  565  stones  of  cheese  and 
60  stones  of  butter  were  consumed.  In  the  year  1469 
there  were  in  the  hospital  the  master,  13  brethren, 
4  secular  priests,  8  sisters,  30  choristers,  2  school- 
masters, 6  servitors,  and  206  headmen.  Seventy 
years  later  this  useful  hospital  was  dissolved.  Dr. 
Thomas  Magnus,  Archdeacon  and  a  member  of  the 
Privy  Council  being  then  master.  He  became  parson 
of  Sessay  Church  where  he  died  eleven  years  later. 
He  is  commemorated  by  a  fine  brass  engraved  with 
his  effigy. 

A  story  tells  how  once  a  miracle  was  wrought  in 
St.  Leonard's  Hospital.  The  hero  of  the  tale,  so  far 
from  being  a  saint  was  very  much  a  sinner.  After 
a  not  too  reputable  secular  career,  he  was  persuaded 
to  become  a  religious.  The  change  in  his  life  was 
more  apparent  than  real,  for,  it  seems,  when  fair-time 
came  round,  he  made  up  his  mind  to  join,  as  on 
many  a  previous  occasion,  in  the  festivities  of  the 
season.  Taking  advantage  of  the  after-dinner  sleepi- 
ness of  the  porter,  and  seizing  the  latter  worthy's 
keys.  Brother  Jucundus,  for  that  is  the  hero's  name, 
made  his  exit,  contemptuous  of  discipline. 


52  YORK 

Whether  it  was  the  unusually  severe  life  he  had 
lately  been  leading,  is  not  known,  but  it  appears  that 
by  the  evening  the  brother's  ideas  were,  as  a  result 
of  his  unwisely  frequent  potations,  in  quite  a  nebu- 
lous state. 

Meanwhile,  attention  having  been  directed  to  the 
absence  of  Jucundus  from  the  monastery,  two  brothers 
were  deputed  with  orders  to  discover  his  whereabouts 
and  to  rescue  him.  Eventually  they  conveyed  their 
erring  comrade  home  in  a  wheelbarrow. 

Such  a  breach  of  discipline  was  a  most  serious 
offence;  indeed,  Jucundus  was  sentenced  to  be  walled 
up  alive.  This  unpleasant  process  was  actually  carried 
out,  and  our  friend  thought  that  he  had  looked  his 
last  upon  the  sun. 

Mured  up  thus  unkindly,  he  was  soon  sobered, 
and  beginning  to  kick  against  the  walls,  was  sur- 
prised that  the  stones  gave  way  under  the  pressure 
he  applied  to  them.  He  soon  had  worked  a  big 
enough  hole  (not,  of  course,  in  the  wall  which  Justice 
had  just  built  in  order  to  immure  him)  to  allow  his 
passage. 

He  now  found  himself  in  the  adjoining  Abbey  of  St. 
Mary,  and  his  only  hope  of  safety  lay  in  his  passing 
as  one  of  the  regular  inmates  of  that  establishment. 
He,  too,  therefore  subjected  himself  to  the  Rule  of 
Silence,   and  acquiring   in  a  remarkably  short  space 


»-W»M»i«H«I1 


RUINS  OF   ST.    MARY'S  ABBEY 


THE  ABBEY   GROUNDS  53 

the  esteem  of  his  new  brothers,  was  appointed  cellarer. 

Alas!  after  a  year,  temptation  was  too  much  for 
him.  He  made  an  unworthy  use  of  his  office  and 
underwent  a  second  sentence  for  riotous  misconduct. 
He  was  carried  by  the  unsuspecting  monks  to  the 
place  where  he  had  been  before  immured  and  was 
left  to  his  fate.  He  was  still  under  his  drunken 
delusion  singing  merrily,  to  be  heard  by  the  reverend 
brothers  of  St.  Leonard's.  The  news  of  Jucundus's 
continued  existence  was  carried  to  his  superior,  who, 
recognizing  his  former  subject's  voice,  ordered  the 
cell  to  be  opened  and  knelt  in  awe  before  the  revi- 
vified but  still  merry  Jucundus. 

Within  and  around  St.  Leonard's  gateway  are 
collected  a  number  of  Roman  stone  coffins  which 
have  been  found  in  York.  One  coffin  in  particular  is 
of  more  than  usual  interest,  for  it  is  believed  to  be 
connected  with  a  Christian  burial.  Evidences  of 
Christianity  during  the  Roman  occupation  of  York 
are  rare.  A  record  exists  that  Eborius,  Bishop  of 
York,  was  present  at  the  Council  of  Aries  in  314. 
The  discovery  of  this  coffin  tends  to  confirm  this 
statement,  by  showing  that  there  were  Christians  in 
York  amongst  its  Roman  inhabitants.  In  this  Roman 
stone  coffin  were  found  a  glass  jug  and  a  disk — which 
are  considered  to  be  the  cruet  and  paten  of  the  via- 
ticum— and  a  bone  tablet  carved  with  a  Latin  inscrip- 


54  YORK 

tion  "SOROR  AVE  VIVAS  IN  DEO",  which  is 
rendered  in  English,  "Sister,  hail,  mayest  thou  live 
in  God". 

After  the  departure  of  the  Romans,  the  pagan 
Anglians  drove  the  Christians  out  of  the  district  to 
the  westward,  and  when  the  Anglians  in  York  had 
themselves  embraced  Christianity,  they  suffered  the 
like  from  the  Danish  invaders.  Subsequently  the 
Danes  embraced  Christianity,  and  adjoining  the  abbey 
grounds  is  the  church  founded  by  the  conqueror  of 
Macbeth,  Jarl  Siward,  to  the  Norwegian  sainted 
King  Olaf.  Siward  was  Earl  of  Northumbria  and 
a  great  warrior.  On  his  deathbed  he  commanded  his 
attendants  to  put  on  him  his  armour,  and  thus  fully 
equipped,  he  died. 

Soon  after  the  Norman  Conquest,  the  church  of 
St.  Olave,  with  four  acres  adjoining,  was  given  by 
the  Earl  of  Richmond  to  Stephen  of  Whitby  to  found 
a  Benedictine  monastery.  The  site,  however,  was 
church  property,  and  the  Archbishop  only  relinquished 
it  when  William  II  gave  him  an  equivalent.  King 
Rufus  laid  the  foundation  stone  of  the  abbey  church, 
which  was  dedicated  to  St.  Mary.  The  foundations 
of  the  eastern  part  of  this  church  have  been  laid 
bare  and  show  the  apsidal  terminations. 

The  introduction  into  England  of  the  Cistercian 
order,  with  their  stricter  rule  of  conduct,  led  some  of 


THE  ABBEY  GROUNDS  55 

the  monks  of  St.  Mary's  to  attempt  a  raising  of  the 
standard  of  discipline  in  their  own  monastery.  The 
other  monks,  however,  resented  their  interference. 
The  reformers,  filled  with  admiration  of  the  accounts 
they  heard  of  the  holy  lives  led  by  the  inmates  of  the 
Cistercian  house  of  Rievaulx,  were  now  anxious  to 
found  a  colony  of  that  order  and  communicated  their 
desire  to  the  Abbot  of  St.  Mary's,  who,  however,  re- 
fused to  allow  them  to  leave,  as  it  would  bring  dis- 
credit on  his  abbey.  The  reformers  included  the 
prior,  sub-prior,  sacrist,  almoner,  and  precentor.  The 
prior  consulted  the  Archbishop,  who  decided  to  hold 
a  visitation  at  the  abbey. 

Archbishop  Thurstan  on  the  day  appointed  rode  to 
the  abbey  gatehouse  attended  by  the  Archdeacon  of 
York,  the  Minster  Treasurer  (afterwards  St.  William), 
the  Prior  of  Guisborough,  and  the  Master  of  St.  Leo- 
nard's Hospital.  Leaving  their  horses  at  the  gateway, 
they  walked  to  the  chapter  house  and  were  received 
by  the  abbot,  who  protested  against  anyone  entering 
but  the  Archbishop  and  his  clerks.  The  Archbishop 
remonstrated,  but  the  monks  who  had  filled  the 
chapter  house,  considering  it  was  a  Cistercian  attack 
on  their  own  order,  created  an  uproar  by  hooting  and 
screaming  and  prevented  the  Archbishop  being  heard; 
he,  however,  in  a  lull  shouted,  "I  place  the  Abbey 
under   an    interdict."      "Interdict    it    for    a    hundred 


56  YORK 

years,"  exclaimed  one  of  the  monks,  and  then  arose 
the  cry  of  "Catch  them!"  The  Archbishop  with  his 
retinue  and  the  thirteen  reformers  were  alarmed  and 
took  refuge  in  the  church,  and  after  a  time  were  per- 
mitted to  leave  the  abbey. 

The  Archbishop  befriended  the  outcasts  and  sub- 
sequently gave  them  a  plot  of  ground,  near  his  manor 
at  Ripon,  on  which  they  founded  the  Cistercian  Abbey 
of  Fountains. 

Simon  of  Warwick  became  Abbot  of  St.  Mary's  in 
1259,  and  placed  it  in  greater  security  from  the  at- 
tacks by  the  citizens,  between  whom  and  the  monks 
were  often  quarrels,  owing  to  the  privileges  claimed 
by  the  abbey.  The  monastery,  being  just  outside  the 
city,  was  always  in  danger  from  raiding  expeditions 
of  the  Scots,  so  in  the  year  1266  the  abbot  had  licence 
from  the  king  to  wall  in  the  abbey  close. 

Abbot  Warwick  in  1271  laid  the  foundation  stone 
of  a  new  church  to  St.  Mary's  Abbey.  He  began  by 
building  at  the  rear  of  the  Norman  church  a  new 
aisled  choir  of  nine  bays.  The  Norman  edifice  was 
then  taken  down  and  replaced  by  a  new  aisled  nave 
of  eight  bays,  transepts  of  three  bays  with  eastern 
aisles,  and  lofty  tower  with  spire.  The  western  front 
has  a  central  doorway  set  between  arcading;  the  door- 
way jambs  are  delicately  sculptured  with  the  ivy  and 
its  trailing  stem.     The  aisle  windows  are  alternately 


0 
111 

X 
H 


THE  ABBEY  GROUNDS  57 

of  two  and  three  lights  with  geometrical  tracery  and 
placed  above  an  arcade — the  work  is  similar  to  that 
in  the  north  aisle  of  the  choir  at  Selby  Abbey.  One 
of  the  views  depicts  the  eastern  archway  with  clere- 
story of  the  nave  north  aisle.  The  remains  of  the 
church  show  it  to  have  been  a  magnificent  example 
of  the  art  of  the  last  quarter  of  the  thirteenth  century. 
Excavations  have  revealed  the  foundations  of  the  choir 
and  exhibit  the  full  length  of  the  church. 

The  ruins  of  the  vestibule  and  entrance  to  the 
chapter  house  are  beautiful  examples  of  the  richly 
ornamented  late  Norman  work. 

The  walls  of  the  abbey  close  remain.  The  principal, 
and  for  a  long  time  the  only  entrance,  was  that  of  Mary 
Gate.  There  is  a  fine  arch  and  on  either  side  of  the 
gateway  is  an  arcade  with  stone  seats.  The  vaulted 
roof  and  the  courtroom  above  for  the  Liberty  of  St. 
Mary  have  disappeared.  The  gatehouse  adjoins  and 
is  now  a  private  dwelling.  John  Phillips,  the  eminent 
geologist,  resided  in  it  for  some  years.  On  the  op- 
posite side  are  the  ruins  of  the  Chapel  of  Our  Lady 
at  the  Gate;  the  edifice  was  of  two  stories,  with  the 
chapel  on  the  first  floor  which  was  reached  by  a  stone 
stair. 

The  Bootham  entrance  was  made  in  order  to 
shorten  the  distance  from  the  abbot's  house  to  the 
Minster,  and  in  expectation  of  a  visit  of  Henry  VH, 


58  YORK 

on  his  return  from  Scotland.  The  Princess  Margaret, 
daughter  of  Henry  VII,  was  the  guest  of  the  Lord 
Abbot  of  St.  Mary's  for  two  days  on  her  journey  to 
the  north  to  be  the  bride  of  James  IV  of  Scotland. 
The  Princess,  accompanied  by  five  hundred  lords  and 
ladies,  was  met  at  Tadcaster  Bridge  by  the  Sheriffs 
in  crimson  gowns,  attended  by  one  hundred  persons 
on  horseback,  who  conducted  her  royal  highness  to- 
wards the  city.  At  Micklegate  Bar,  the  Princess  was 
received  by  the  Lord  Mayor  and  Corporation,  who 
welcomed  her  to  the  city.  On  the  following  day  the 
Lord  Mayor  and  Corporation  waited  upon  the  Prin- 
cess, and  presented  her  with  a  silver  gilt  cup  contain- 
ing one  hundred  angels  of  gold  for  which  she  heartily 
thanked  them.  The  next  day  the  Lord  Mayor,  Sheriffs, 
and  Aldermen  escorted  the  Princess  as  far  as  Mag- 
dalene Hospital  in  Bootham.  The  Lord  Mayor  made 
a  long  oration  in  taking  his  leave,  to  which  the 
Princess  replied,  "My  Lord  Mayor,  your  brethren, 
and  all  the  whole  city  of  York.  I  shall  evermore 
endeavour  to  love  you  and  this  city  all  the  days  of 
my  life." 

The  Bootham  entrance  to  St.  Mary's  Abbey  con- 
sists of  an  archway  with  porter's  lodge  now  used  as 
a  shop.  From  here  the  abbey  walls  continue  behind 
the  houses  to  the  circular  tower  at  the  end  of  Mary- 
gate.    The  tower  contained  the  records  of  many  of  the 


THE  ABBEY  GROUNDS  59 

suppressed  northern  monasteries.  During  the  siege  of 
York  in  the  time  of  the  Great  Civil  War,  one  Sun- 
day the  ParHamentarians  having  laid  a  mine,  blew  up 
the  tov/er  and  entered  the  grounds.  The  Royalists 
sent  out  a  body  of  men  by  the  Watergate  and  up 
Marygate  to  the  ruined  tower.  Those  inside  were  thus 
caught  and  were  compelled  to  surrender.  The  tower 
was  afterwards  rebuilt,  but  on  a  smaller  scale.  From 
the  tower  the  abbey  walls  stretch  to  the  gatehouse 
and  from  there  continue  to  the  river,  where  they  ter- 
minate in  a  circular  tower,  which  is  seen  in  the  view 
taken  across  the  river  from  near  the  railway  bridge. 

The  river  front  had  its  water  gate  and  walls.  The 
water  gate  led  to  the  "hospitium",  a  two-storied 
building,  the  lower  part  of  stone  and  the  upper  of 
timber  and  plaster.  The  hospitium  adjoined  the 
gateway,  on  the  other  side  was  the  gatehouse,  of 
which  little  remains. 

In  the  lower  room  of  the  hospitium  is  stored  much 
sculptured  work  from  the  abbey.  Amongst  the  large 
bosses  are  represented  the  Holy  Lamb,  surrounded 
by  maple  leaves;  the  Virgin  amidst  the  vine,  and  a 
monk  playing  an  early  violin.  There  are  ten  statues 
which  formerly  adorned  the  abbey  church,  each  one 
is  five  feet  eight  inches  high,  and  amongst  others 
Moses  and  the  Baptist  are  represented.  There  are 
also  two   ''cresset"  stones,  the  holes  of  which  were 


€o  YORK 

filled  with  grease  and  provided  with  wicks  to  form 
the  night  lights  for  the  monks. 

In  the  same  room  are  a  number  of  Roman  objects 
which  have  been  discovered  in  York.  A  tesselated 
pavement,  depicting  the  head  of  Medusa  surrounded  by 
emblems  of  the  four  seasons,  was  found  near  Mickle- 
gate  Bar.  One  of  the  most  ancient  of  Roman  in- 
scriptions in  Britain  is  the  inscribed  tablet  of  the 
time  of  Trajan,  which  was  found  in  King's  Square. 
An  altar  was  found  under  one  of  the  piers  in  the 
church  of  St.  Denis.  Amongst  other  Roman  objects 
are  stone  coffins,  tiled  tombs,  and  a  sculptured  eagle. 

Of  mediaeval  objects  are  moulded  stones  from  the 
demolished  church  of  St.  Crux,  an  effigy  in  chain 
armour  of  Sir  John  de  Vescy,  a  defaced  effigy  of  a 
knight  which  passed  as  a  statue  of  Mother  Shipton, 
the  famous  Yorkshire  prophetess,  and  a  tablet  in- 
scribed **Here  stood  the  image  of  York",  referring 
to  Ebraucus,  the  founder  of  York,  according  to 
Geoffrey  of  Monmouth. 

The  upper  room  is  chiefly  devoted  to  pottery, 
glass,  and  the  smaller  Roman  objects  found  in  York. 
There  are  seven  hundred  and  fifty  perfect  vessels. 
Of  particular  interest  to  many  and  kept  in  a  glass 
case  is  the  hair  of  a  Roman  lady — taken  out  of  a  lead 
coffin  enclosed  in  a  stone  one.  The  hair  retains  its 
auburn  colour,  is  coiled  and  secured  by  two  jet  pins. 


.  ao**  - 


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Fit''i.,  - 


ENTRANCE   TO  THIi   BANQUETING    HALL,    KING'S  MANOR 


THE  ABBEY  GROUNDS  6l 

The  other  conventual  buildings  have  been  de- 
stroyed, the  Museum  stands  on  a  portion  of  them.  In 
the  basement  is  a  fireplace  in  situ^  and  in  another  part 
are  three  octagonal  pillars  which  have  been  removed 
a  little  from  their  original  position.  The  mortar  of  the 
abbey  infirmary  is  placed  in  the  Museum  entrance; 
it  was  cast  in  1308  by  William  of  Towthorpe,  one  of 
the  monks.  It  is  a  beautiful  example  of  the  art  of 
the  bellfounder,  the  design  consisting  of  two  rows 
of  quatrefoils  between  an  inscription. 

The  Museum  contains  some  Roman  sculptures, 
including  one  to  Mithras,  an  inscribed  stone  coffin 
of  Julia  Fortunata,  and  a  fine  statue.  On  the  walls 
are  three  tapestry  maps  of  central  England.  These 
are  the  first  specimens  of  tapestry  weaving  in  this 
country  and  were  executed  in  1579.  In  a  wall  case 
are  fetters  from  York  Castle,  consisting  of  those 
worn  by  Nevison  and  Dick  Turpin,  the  famous  high- 
waymen. 

The  Abbot  of  St.  Mary's  together  with  the  Abbot 
of  Selby  were  the  only  two  mitred  abbots  north  of 
the  Trent,  and  by  virtue  of  their  rank  they  were  sum- 
moned as  Lords  of  Parliament.  The  Lord  Abbot  of 
St.  Mary's  had,  near  York,  country  residences  at  Over- 
ton, Deighton,  and  Beningbrough,  and  a  London  house 
near  St.  Paul's  Wharf. 

The  abbey  after  its  surrender  was  retained  in  the 


62  YORK 

possession  of  the  Crown.  The  church  became  a 
quarry  for  anyone  who  required  building  stone;  en- 
gravings show  that  in  the  seventeenth  century  both 
sides  of  the  nave  with  the  Triforium  were  standing. 
In  the  eighteenth  century  the  abbey  ruins  suppHed 
the  stone  for  the  repairing  of  various  buildings.  The 
whole  of  the  structure  was  gradually  being  cleared 
away,  and  to  hurry  on  the  work  of  destruction,  a 
limekiln  was  erected.  Fortunately,  in  1827,  the  York- 
shire Philosophical  Society  obtained  a  grant  of  the 
ruins  and  land. 

Through  the  nave  north  doorway  is  seen  the  tomb 
of  William  Etty,  Royal  Academician,  who  was  a 
native  of  York  and  to  whom  a  statue  has  recently 
been  erected  in  front  of  the  City  Art  Gallery. 

The  abbot's  house,  although  much  altered,  is  that 
occupied  by  the  Wilberforce  School  for  the  Blind. 
After  the  Dissolution,  it  was  called  the  King's  Manor 
and  made  the  residence  of  the  Lord  President  of  the 
North.  On  the  site  of  the  monastic  chapter  house, 
a  palace  was  built  and  occupied  by  Henry  VIII  and 
his  Queen,  Catherine  Howard,  when  they  visited  York. 
The  palace  was  afterwards  disused  and  became  a 
ruin.  The  basement,  known  as  the  "  King's  Cellar ", 
remains  and  now  forms  the  substructure  of  a  recent 
building.  During  the  reign  of  EHzabeth  additions 
were  made  *'to  the  Queen's  Majesty's  house"  by  the 


THE  ABBEY  GROUNDS  63 

successive  Lords  Presidents,  the  Earls  of  Sussex  and 
Huntingdon.  One  apartment  contains  a  large  fire- 
place with  pilasters  which  have  bases,  raised  panels 
and  caps,  and  an  arch  adorned  with  sculptured  panels. 
The  plaster  ft-ieze  has  the  crest  of  the  Hastings,  Earls 
of  Huntingdon— a  coronet  over  the  garter,  within  which 
is  a  bull's  head  between  the  letters  H.H.,  the  royal 
Tudor  badge — an  open  pomegranate  between  two 
dragons— and  the  bear  and  ragged  staff— the  badge 
of  the  Dudleys,  the  Countess  being  the  sister  of 
Robert  Dudley,  the  Queen's  favourite.  In  the  reign 
of  James  I  other  additions  were  made,  including  a 
new  entrance.  In  the  pilaster  base  on  either  side 
are  the  letters  I.R.  under  a  crown.  A  view  is  given 
of  the  stairs  and  doorway,  with  the  Royal  Arms  above, 
which  led  to  the  Banquetting  Hall  added  by  the  great 
Earl  of  Strafford  (then  Viscount  Wentworth).  He 
placed  his  own  armorial  bearings  over  the  doorway 
on  the  west  side  of  the  courtyard,  and  although  there 
was  nothing  unusual  in  such  an  act,  it  formed  one  of 
the  charges  against  him  at  his  trial,  he  having  placed 
his  own  arms  on  one  of  the  king's  palaces.  Later, 
King  Charles  I  took  up  his  abode  here  for  a  month, 
and  the  Royal  arms  were  placed  over  the  entrance. 

The  School  for  the  Blind,  with  its  two  court- 
yards surrounded  by  mullioned  windows  and  quaint 
doorways  with  heraldic  devices,   forms  an  extremely 


64  YORK 

picturesque  brick  and  stone  building.  A  pretty  view 
is  that  obtained  from  the  abbey  grounds.  It  shows 
the  EHzabethan  additions,  one  a  stone  building  with 
gabled  end  and  a  series  of  stone  dormers;  the  other, 
a  later  building  on  a  stone  base  is  of  brick  with  brick 
pilasters,  cornices,  and  gables,  the  whole  making  an 
especially  fit  subject  for  the  artist  in  water  colours. 

Three  of  the  Abbots  of  St.  Mary's  became  bishops: 
Thomas  of  Spofforth  went  to  Hereford,  William  Wells 
to  Rochester,  and  William  Sever  to  Carlisle  and  Dur- 
ham. Bishop  Sever  was  buried  in  the  choir  of  St. 
Mary's  Abbey  church.  His  tombstone  was  discovered 
during  recent  excavations. 


PRINTED  IN  GREAT  BRITAIN 
At  the   Villafield  Press,   Glasgow,  Scotland 


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